FORMAT FOR REPORTS OF THE PARTIES AGREEMENT ON THE CONSERVATION OF AFRICAN-EURASIAN MIGRATORY WATERBIRDS (The Hague, 1995) Implementation during the period 2003 and 2005 Contracting Party: Ukraine Designated AEWA Administrative Authority: Full name of the institution: Ministry of Environmental Protection of Ukraine Name and title of the head of the institution: Minister Mr. Pavlo Ignatenko Mailing address: Urytskogo str., 35, Kyiv, 03035 Telephone: +380 44 206 31 26 Fax: +380 44 206 31 26 Email: [email protected] Name and title (if different) of the designated contact officer for AEWA matters: Dr. Volodymyr Domashlinets Mailing address (if different) for the designated contact officer: Telephone: +380 44 206 31 26 Fax: +380 44 206 31 26 Email: [email protected] 2 Table of Contents 1. Overview of Action Plan implementation 5 2. Species conservation 6 Legal measures 6 Single Species Action Plans 6 Emergency measures 6 Re-establishments 7 Introductions 7 3. Habitat conservation 8 Habitat inventories 8 Conservation of areas 8 Rehabilitation and restoration 8 4. Management of human activities 9 Hunting 9 Eco-tourism 9 Other human activities 9 5. Research and monitoring 10 Status of research and monitoring programmes for species 10 6. Education and information 11 Training and development programmes 11 Raising public awareness 11 7. Final comments 12 8. Progress to implement Resolutions and Recommendations of the Meeting of the Parties 13 9. OPTIONAL SECTION – Planned and future actions 14 List of abbreviations and acronyms used in the report 15 References 16 Appendices 17 Appendix 1: Status of Single Species Action Plans 17 Appendix 2: List of sites of international importance Appendix 3: Status of management plans for sites of international importance 17 Appendix 4: List of research and monitoring programmes and projects 17 Appendix 5: List of national institutions involved in migratory waterbird conservation 17 3 Appendix 6: List of relevant World Wide Web addresses for national institutions involved in migratory waterbird conservation 17 Appendix 7: List of relevant migratory waterbird and habitat conservation projects initiated, ongoing or completed in the last three years 17 4 1. Overview of Action Plan implementation 1.1 Summary of progress to date Ukraine acceded to AEWA in 2003. The main directions of the work during last three years were associated with identification of legal and conservation status of the AEWA species in Ukraine, elaboration and implementation of monitoring, conservation and research programmes and projects focused partially or entirely on migratory waterbirds. There is a number of ongoing programmes and activities which are implemented on the national or regional levels and relevant to the AEWA action plan implementation. They are as follows: – the Programme of the National Ecological Network Development for the years 2002–2015; – State Programme on the Protection and Rehabililation of the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea Environment endorsed by Law of Ukraine of 22.03.2001 No. 1989- III; – Important Bird Area Programme; – Conservation of Biodiversity in th Azov-Black Sea Ecological Corridor (GEF project); – VI International Census of White Stork; – Monitoring of wintering waterbirds; – Annual censuses of waterbirds during migrations. 1.2 Outline of planned actions for national implementation over the next three years – Implementation of the Programme of the National Ecological Network Development for the years 2002–2015; – Development and endorsement of the species action plans; – Monitoring of the waterbirds; – Identification of new IBAs; – Preparation and publication of new edition of the Red Data Book of Ukraine – Extension of existing and creation of new protected areas, inter alia: o Nyzhnodnistrovsky National Nature Park of total area 21,400 ha; o Tuzlovski limany Regional Landscape Park of total area 20,000 ha; 1.3 Outline of priorities for international co-operation over the next three years – Development and carrying out of bi- and multilateral projects and programmes for waterbird species and habitat conservation; – Transfrontier co-operation in development of the Pan-European Ecological Network; 5 – 2. Species conservation Legal measures 2.1 Has a national policy/strategy or legislation to protect and conserve species covered by the Agreement (Table 1: column A; column B) and their supporting important areas been developed? If so: a. What are the main features of the policy/legislation? Main features of the policy/legislation are as follows: – support, creation of new and extension of existing protected areas; – system of control and licensing of taking animals from the wild; – building of ecological network; – conservation of biological and landscape diversity; – user pay principle. Main laws that regulate conservation of wild animals including birds covered by AEWA – Law on Environment Protection; – Law on the Animal Kingdom; – Law on Ecological Network; – Law on Nature Reserve Fund; – Law on Hunting. b. Which organisations are responsible for implementation? – The Ministry of Environmental Protection of Ukraine – State Committee for Forestry of Ukraine – State Department for Fishery of the Ministry of Agriculture of Ukraine c. How does it relate to other national initiatives (e.g. national Biodiversity Action Plans)? 2.2 What legal measures or practices has your country developed to prohibit or regulate for the following (refer also to section 4 on hunting): a. Taking of, and trade in birds listed in Column A and B of Table 1 (where utilization or trade contravenes the provisions set out in paragraphs 2.1.1 (a) and 2.1.2 of the Action Plan)? Taking of the animals from the wild including birds is regulated and based on the scientifically justified system of permits and licenses. b. Methods of taking? Methods of taking are regulated by the laws of Ukraine "On the Animal Kingdom", "On Hunting" as well as the Bern Convention to which Ukraine is a Party. c. Setting of taking limits and monitoring these limits? 6 Setting of taking limits for the species is a general legislative rule. d. Sustainable hunting of species listed in Categories 2 and 3 (and marked by an asterisk) in Column A only? Only those portions of the population is allowed to be taken from the wild which do not harm the viability of the species. e. Exemptions to the provisions set out in paragraphs 2.1.1, 2.1.2 and 2.1.3? No exemption is set. Single Species Action Plans 2.3 Of the species covered by the Agreement (species listed in Table 1: column A), which spend part or all of their life history in your country, which have formal international (Category 1, species marked with an asterisk) or national (column A) Single Species Action Plans: a. Proposed? No Single Species Action Plan is prepared yet. b. In preparation? It is expected that the relevant national action plans will be prepared based on the Single Species Action Plans adopted by the Meeting of the Parties to AEWA c. Being implemented? Single Species Action Plan is being implemented Please append a list of species and their action plan status. (For international plans indicate which other countries are involved in plan development/implementation.) Emergency measures 2.4 Describe any bilateral or multilateral co-operative action that your country has undertaken to develop and implement emergency measures to conserve species in response to unfavourable or endangering conditions occurring in the Agreement area. Such co-operative actions have not been developed yet. Re-establishments 7 2.5 Has a policy on species re-establishments been developed in your country? If yes, please outline the main features of the policy and give details of any re-establishment programmes for species covered by the Agreement. No Introductions 2.6 Has your country developed and implemented legal measures to prohibit the introduction of nonnative species? Please provide details, particularly describing measures to control the release or introduction of non-native species (please indicate which species and their status). According to the Law of Ukraine “On the Animal Kingdom” no new species introduction is allowed without prior scientific justification and a special permit issued by the competent national authority (Ministry of Environmental Protection). 8 3. Habitat conservation Habitat inventories 3.1 Has your country developed and published inventories of important habitats for species covered by the Agreement? If yes, please provide details, including any provisions to maintain or update these inventories. Yes. Ukrainian Society for Bird Conservation published a book “Important Bird Areas” which describes the most valuable habitats for bird species including those covered by AEWA. 3.2 Has your country undertaken a strategic review of sites to develop a national network of important sites or areas for species covered by the Agreement? Please append a list of identified sites of international importance. Ukraine has 33 Ramsar sites, which are considered to be important for waterbird conservation. Conservation of areas 3.3 Describe the legal frameworks and other measures through which sites (including transfrontier sites) including of international importance gain practical protection. (Please append a list of internationally important protected sites.) The Laws of Ukraine “On Environmental Protection” and “On Nature Conservation Fund” “Programme of the National Ecological Network Development for the years 2002–2015” provide a legal basis for development, creation extension and